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Vikings' Treadwell admits he wasn't '100 percent at all' last year

Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

Laquon Treadwell suffered one of the more gruesome on-field injuries in recent memory when he broke his left leg and dislocated his ankle in a 2014 college game against Auburn.

The 6-foot-2 receiver - drafted 23rd overall by the Minnesota Vikings in this year's draft - recovered from the injury to play his junior year at Ole Miss, but the truth is he never felt completely healthy.

"I was definitely tentative. I wasn't 100 percent at all last season. I would just say (I was healthy) to get everyone off of me," Treadwell told Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. "I was like, 'I can't focus on what I need to focus on because everybody was asking me every day what I felt, what percentage I was.' I just said, 'I feel good, I'm 100 percent.' But then after I went home at night, I was like, 'I don't feel right.'"

Treadwell played in every game of his junior season and racked up a team-leading 82 catches for 1,153 yards and 11 touchdowns. Astonishing numbers considering the extent of his injury.

"I was playing on one leg my whole junior season. Last year wasn't fun going out and being hurt and trying to play," he said.

"I felt like I had a fire in my foot. I would cry myself to sleep, get up and cry myself back to sleep. But I said, 'I'm not taking the pills any more because when I get back healthy I'm going to remember this pain that I felt.' I felt I would then never take the game for granted."

The good news for Vikings fans is Treadwell says he is finally 100 percent healed and expects great things from himself now that he has two healthy legs to stand on.

"My expectations for myself is to start. I don't hold myself to low standards at all by any means," he said. "So when I get to start, helping the team win, try to win Rookie of the Year. Pro Bowl. Super Bowl."

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